CBS’s 60 Minutes once broadcast an episode in which a man made a superb pool shot and suffered an attack. Later in an argument with his son he suffered another attack. Sleep attacks generally last less than 5 minutes but may last up to 20 minutes. At present there is no cure for narcolepsy.

Sleep Apnea Apnea literally means “cessation of respiration.” It is a serious disorder, potentially life- threatening. In apnea the change from wakefulness to sleep causes the central nervous system to cease functioning.

Intermittent loud snoring frequently accompanies the disorder as the individual struggles to fill the lungs wit air. In addition, elevated blood pressure may occur, placing additional strain on the heart. After about 60 to 100 sleep seconds of sleep, the person awakens and takes a series of choking breaths.

As a rule, the arousal lasts a few seconds as the blood gases quickly normalize and the person returns to sleep. The cycle repeats itself throughout the night. Some patients may awaken as many as 500 times but may be so habituated to their disorder they are unaware of having awakened at all.

A Stanford surgical technique in which the large tongue muscle is pulled forward and away from the back of the throat has also been successful. Most recently, a radio- frequency technology that shrinks tissue volume at the base of the tongue has shown great promise.

Sleepwalking and Night Terrors

The night terror is typically accompanied by a blood-curdling scream that brings parents rushing to the child’s bed. The dazed and groggy child cannot report what is wrong. Typically, the child falls back to sleep more quickly than the parents and is normal the next day.

Insomnia The 2002 National Sleep Foundation poll conducted in the weeks following the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks found that 69% of Americans experienced symptoms of insomnia at least a few nights each week. After the attacks, 47% rated their sleep as fair or poor compared to 27% before the attacks. An earlier Gallup poll of 100 adults found that 49% of Americans report some difficulty falling asleep.

As the large baby boom generation gets older, sleeping problems will likely rise. As for stress and work, 25% of adults believe they cannot be successful and get enough sleep. About 70% of those with insomnia never tell their doctors.

Poll results before September 11 found that roughly 15% of the adult population complained of chronic insomnia. Only when insomnia occurs most nights for three to four weeks is it considered chronic.

Medical problems lie behind another 10% of all cases. For example, patients with congestive heart failure or emphysema may have breathing problems that keep them awake. Restless leg syndrome and related neuromuscular disorders may produce restlessness and muscle spasms that interfere with sleep. About 30% of insomnia cases occur for no apparent reason. Referred to as primary insomnia, it is treated with behavioral techniques and, when necessary, medication.

Klein-Levin syndrome

Sleep-wake disorders

Hypnalgia Dream pain.